British Cemetary in Kabul - Honouring Canada's Fallen

[Gunner]

I had the opportunity to visit the British Cemetary in Kabul last week.

 

[Gunner]

Canada's Plaque

 

[Gunner]

Op ATHENA.

 

[Gunner]

The interesting point for the British memorial is they used gravestones that had been destroyed by the Taliban.  The earliest I noticed was one from 1870.

 

[Spr.Earl]

Thanks Gunner.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Gunner,

Is that the TF Comd there with you? I worked with him in my last job - a straight shooter.  How is the tour going?

Dave - staring ROTO 4 in the face

 

[Gunner]

PPCLI Guy, yes you have the right person.  I know you worked closely with him in your last job.  We (LFWA) will be looking for similar support from across the army this Fall.  Roto 2 has been an incredible tour, certainly one of the better ones I've been on.  We have a very strong "A" Team deployed from LFWA and it has proven its worth.  The drawdown from Roto 1 to Roto 2 has not been without areas of concern but in true Canadian style we have pulled more than our fair share of the load.  Very marked contrast between Roto 1 and 2 in terms of the performance of ISAF/KMNB and the transition from Canadian led to multinational (Eurocorps) led.  I expected better from the Europeans (in my opinion).  Camp Julien, as previous posters have mentioned, is a jewel to live in.

Cheers,

Gunner

 

[pbi]

Eurocorps is a shower, to put it as politely as possible. I know-I work for the buggers. ISAF has zero credibility up here in Bagram (which is a better place to live--nyaahh nyaahh!) with CJTF76. They are seen as a bunch of ineffective Euro-clowns. That this is of their own doing is reflected by the fact that the "head shed" up   here thought quite highly of ISAF V and the Canadians, and especially of MGen Hillier. ISAF VII (Turks, with a selection of US, Brits and Canadians in key staff positions) should do better. It couldn't do worse.

Cheers

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

Gunner,

Thanks for posting the photos.  I came across the cemetary driving through that part of Kabul on Roto 0 and read about it in the little guide book they sell to "tourists."  Supposedly the HQ of the Taliban was across the street and that the old guy who is the caretaker of the cemetary protected it from the Taliban.

Cheers 

2B

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Gunner,

How early did you stand up the NCE?

 

[Ammogod]

Thanks for the pictures Gunner, I have a question the next Roto is coming out of Petawawa, I think they deploy sometime in Feb, where is the Roto after that coming from, and when would the NSE be stood up for that Roto.

Thank you

 

[MSE_OP18]

Very good pictures and it is nice to see that we our soldiers will be remembered. It is however too bad that we cannot arrange another one for our close comrades that died because of our cowardly enemy on ROTO 0.

R.I.P.

 

[Gunner]

How early did you stand up the NCE?

PPCLI Guy - We stood up the NCE in late May with the majority of the training in June, followed by leave in July.  Deployment commenced end Jul/early Aug.  Training consisted of the standard/mandated DLOC/PSTC/admin requirements.  The only difference for this rotation (and 3 and 4) is the NCE performs a tactical function and must be part of the sub-unit validation exercise.  Roto 3 did this during their work up training so they should have all the "bugs" worked out in terms of a training plan, etc. 

It may be worth a trip out to LFWA in March/Aprill to gather any lessons learned from LFWA/1CMBG and compare them with LFCA's experience on Roto 3.

Cheers,